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<\/a>Highway 95<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201dI\u2019ve forgotten how to pack!\u201d \u00a0Those were the words I muttered as I prepared for our first long vacation in over two years<\/strong>. \u00a0While my husband concerned himself with his clothes and golf equipment, I fretted over snacks for the trip, food and bedding for Dash the Wonder Dog<\/strong>, some staples for our stay at the condo, my clothes, knitting projects and, last but not least, golf equipment. \u00a0It\u2019s little wonder he thought prepping for the trip was a snap. \u00a0But it was all for a good cause, our first trip back to Sun Valley<\/strong> in three years. \u00a0We have been visiting there almost every year since 1988<\/strong>, and although we\u2019d heard that the pandemic has changed its small-town feel, we were excited to go back. \u00a0Getting there, however, was part of the challenge. \u00a0I am all for taking interstates. \u00a0Call my crazy but I like a plethora of eating options, bathrooms, and good cell service. \u00a0My husband, who insists on doing all the driving, loves the solitude of the smaller highways. \u00a0Since prerogative goes to the driver, we drove up to Idaho<\/strong> on Nevada\u2019s Highway 95<\/strong>. \u00a0You would be hard pressed to find a more desolate road in the United States. \u00a0It is two lanes the whole way, with only four passing lanes in over 400 miles<\/strong>. \u00a0Which means everyone is going about 100 miles per hour<\/strong> and passing with great frequency. \u00a0As an added attraction, there are hundreds of miles where there is no cell service<\/strong>. I had visions of our car breaking down and the bleached bones of our bodies being found weeks later. \u00a0But we made it to our stopover for the night, Ely, Nevada<\/strong>, which is smack dab in the middle of \u2026 nothing. \u00a0Here\u2019s how remote it is: there is no Starbucks in Ely<\/strong>.<\/p>\n Next time: we venture further north and then wend our way home – on the interstate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Suzanne Sparrow Watson \u201dI\u2019ve forgotten how to pack!\u201d \u00a0Those were the words I muttered as I prepared for our first long vacation in over two years. \u00a0While my husband concerned himself with his clothes and golf equipment, I fretted … read more![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/9D051318-3FFB-4F39-B19E-41BE84ECD497-300x149.jpeg\")
<\/a>The following morning, having safely survived the trek through Nevada (and no coffee) we made our way up to Sun Valley. \u00a0It felt like coming home, a place so familiar that we both breathed a sigh of relief that we were finally back in our \u201chappy place\u201d<\/strong>. \u00a0 Not everything was perfect. \u00a0Normally after Labor Day you can shoot a cannon down \u00a0Main Street and not hit anyone. \u00a0This year, there was traffic and people everywhere. \u00a0We had heard that both bicyclists and drivers were out of control and sure enough, on our first day we witnessed a bicyclist being hauled off in an ambulance<\/strong>. \u00a0On the walking path to town the city has painted on the sidewalk, \u00a0\u201cIf you\u2019re on a bike and you want to wave, make sure you use all your fingers\u201d<\/strong>. \u00a0One of our friends, who has lived in Sun Valley for over 30 years, says the vibe has changed in the past year. \u00a0\u201cEveryone is more on edge. \u00a0People feel entitled and gripe about everything,\u201d she told us. \u00a0Still, the mountain and the trees are magnificent, so we chose to look at nature rather than rude people from California<\/strong> and Seattle<\/strong>. \u00a0This time of year the trees are beginning to turn and there is nothing more magnificent than quaking Aspen trees, with their full complement of fall colors, framed against the dark green pines.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fromabirdseyeview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/4CBE23C5-21FA-448A-A0E9-7EA1D643435D-300x137.jpeg\")
<\/a>So we spent the first few days taking in the beautiful views<\/strong>, playing some golf<\/strong>, and drinking Guinness<\/strong>. \u00a0And the our first weekend something wonderful happened – it snowed!<\/strong> \u00a0It wasn\u2019t much but it contributed to a perfect Sunday – 48 degrees at the peak of the day, a roaring fire, and football on TV. \u00a0It doesn\u2019t get much better than that. \u00a0As a bonus, the cold weather seemed to weed out the faint of heart. \u00a0On Monday morning, as we ventured into town, we noticed that it had cleared out. \u00a0Sun Valley was as we\u2019d always remembered it in late September – quiet. Just the way we like it.<\/p>\n